The Most Dfficult Choice
by elibdally1
Summary: Who would you save - your best friend for over half of a decade or an enemy for the same number of years. VEELA!Hermione


**Title: ****The Most Difficult Choice**

**Author****: Olga LaLa**

**Disclaimer****: I am a crazy VEELA fan and therefore use that excuse to write this story. JKR OWNS EVERYTHING ELSE! **

**The Most Difficult Choice**

Draco Malfoy increased the tempo of his steps, as he got closer to the Head Rooms that he shared with none other than Hermione Jean Granger.

The Great Wizard War had ended in the summer, six months ago, with Harry Potter being the victor. Of course, a lot had been lost in the war, not to mention the number of lives that had ended. Draco's life was supposed to be one of the lives that had been lost beyond the veil, but thanks to a certain witch and destiny, his life had been spared.

When he finally reached the painting to the headroom, Draco quietly whispered the password to the sleeping dragon guarding the chambers beyond it. The portrait opened and Draco ran the rest of the way up to the room he occupied. He opened the door to find a very familiar scene.

In the dark room, Hermione was laying atop the silk sheets of his bed in a fetal position, her back to him; no doubt holding his none laundered set of robes to her nose, smelling his essence in his absence for comfort.

Ever so slowly, Draco walked toward the bed and sank down to his knees behind her. Hearing her silent whimpers, he softly patted her back in a gentle reassurance. "I am here, Hermione."

Hearing his voice and feeling his touch was like a breath of fresh air to Hermione, cleansing her system anew with conclusiveness and regret all at the same time.

"Draco," she whispered before she turned around to face him. As he had predicted, Hermione was holding one of his school robes. "Oh, Draco, please…"

Draco was on his bed and in her trembling arms before Hermione finished her request. "Shush. Just let me hold you, Hermione. "

She bumped his chin twice with her head when she nodded her acceptance.

"It's late now," he whispered calmly. "You need your sleep." He felt her tense, a sure sign of her disagreement. "I'll be right beside you when you wake up."

And at his request, she slept.

And he pondered, reminiscing the turn of events that had led these two enemies to end up irreversibly together.

*****

It was the final battle. After many months of absence, Draco brought all the information to Harry Potter and the Order about the death eaters, their hideouts and their plans that had yet to be implemented. He worked anonymously at first but as the correspondence between the two wizards grew, so did the trust. Harry, Ron and Draco met only a couple of times before the final battle, while Hermione spent most of her summer with her parents. To the surprise of the death eaters, Draco appeared at the final battle fighting for Dumbledor and his Army.

Now, Draco and Ron stood side by side with their wands at the ready, facing the most wanted death eater of all time, Lucius Malfoy.

"Don't think I won't throw you off of the cliff right beside your poor and pathetic ginger friend, you blood traitor." Lucius growled.

Unconsciously, Draco glanced behind to what his father was referring. He and Weasley were indeed standing at the end of a cliff; the angry waters roared bellow. (A/N: Wish someone could draw this scene.) Turning back, Draco faced his father with even more determination. It was either Lucius or them.

The curses began to fly from both sides. Even though it was two against one, Ron and Draco knew they were no match for Lucius Malfoy. The moment Draco felt the sting in his head and blood running down the side of his face, he knew they were running out of time because with every curse Lucius threw at them, he and Ron got closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.

Finally, Lucius used an _expelliarmus _charm, disarming his opponents just before using _wingardium_ _leviosa,_ lightly picking both wizards inches off the ground and forcing them backwards over the cliff.

By some miracle, Draco and Ron grasped the edge of the cliff with their tiered fingers, their bodies dangling in the emptiness of the night.

Draco heard a loud 'nooo' before a roaring_ avada kadavra_. Closing his eyes, he waited for the inevitable green light to embrace him but it never happened. Slowly he opened his eye and looked in time to see his father's body plunge lifelessly over his head and into the angry sea below. Draco felt no pity at the loss of the wizard whom he idolized as a child.

"Malfoy," he heard beside him. Draco turned his head to look at Ron. "Thanks for coming to our aid. We really needed it, mate."

"Whatever, Weasley," Draco mumbled as he concentrated on holding on to the edge of the sharp cliff and not follow his father to his own death. "Just concentrate on getting to a firm ground and then you could tell me how great I am all you want."

"Alright," said Ron before looking up and yelling. "Help, down here!" Minutes passed but no one came to their rescue. "Shit, I'm slipping."

"Yeah," Draco acknowledged his own dire situation as he hung by the tips of his fingers. "I guess this is it then."

"Yeah," Ron chuckled humorlessly.

Draco and Ron lost their grip at the same time and began to fall. But before they could get too far, both wizards were suspended in the mid air by a hand that had grasped each of their wrists.

"Hold on!"

Draco recognized that voice before seeing its' owner.

"Granger," he said weakly.

"Hermione," Ron whispered at the same time, a radiant smile appeared on his dirty face.

Draco however did not smile, estimating that unless she had a wand; Hermione could only save one of them.

"I don't have my wand." Hermione said to Ron.

Draco could not help but chuckle at this predicament.

Hearing his laugh, Hermione looked down at Draco and gasped in horror. "NO!"

Confused Draco stared back at her before looking to Ron at his side.

"Not you! I…I can't…RON!" she subbed.

"Is he…?" Ron asked as shocked as Hermione at whatever realization she came upon.

"YES!"

"Just get this over with, Granger!" Draco yelled. Hermione's body wracked even more with tears. Draco felt utterly confused. Why wouldn't she let him fall to save her best friend? He looked back at Ron. "What the hell is wrong with her?"

"She could save only one." Ron stated the obvious.

"I know that! What I don't know is why she isn't saving you?"

"It's because, I am not her mate." Draco barely heard the last part.

"I don't understand."

Not bothering to answer him Ron spoke to Hermione, "Do it Hermione."

"No, Ron! I can't!" Hermione shook her head side to side.

"You know you have to!" Ron argued.

"No! We have to wait for Harry! Neville was with me. He is the one who killed Lucius. However, Bellatrix killed him before running off to help Voldimort. Ginny went after her."

"'Monie, you know we can't wait." Ron reasoned soothingly. "Draco and I are both slipping."

"Ron I…"

"It's one life for two, 'Monie." He said with a reassuring smile. "This is not forever. We willl see each other eventually."

"Ron!" She sobbed.

"You know I always loved you." He said sadly. "But now," he gestured to Draco with his chin. "You have found him."

"I am so sorry," Hermione, sobbed.

Ron turned to Draco. "Please take care of her, Malfoy. She needs you more than you could ever know."

"What in the world…?"

"Swear to it, Malfoy. Give me an oath." Ron roared.

"I swear it!" Draco roared back. A second later, a magical wind rolled over the three, sealing the promise.

"See you in the afterlife, Ferret!" Ron said in satisfaction. Looking up at Hermione for the last time, he said clearly. "Live!"

Draco watched in a daze as Ron intentionally fought out of Hermione's weakening grasp before the emptiness claimed him. Draco closed his eyes at the hushed splash in the waters below, knowing that Ronald Weasley was no more.

"Malfoy," said Hermione after a long silence. "Give me your other hand."

He did so without arguing. Now that she had both of her hands, it was easy to help him get back over the cliff.

Once he was safe on the solid ground, Draco let his body relax, by placing his head against the cool earth, creating a small cloud of dust with every breath he exhaled. "Why did you do that?" He asked Hermione who was sitting in the dirt on her knees next to him. When she did not answer fast enough for him, Draco straightened his torso before shaking hers out of her stupor. "Granger! Why didn't you let me fall to save Weasley?"

Finally, she looked him in the eyes and smiled with relief. "Because he knew that if you had fallen, I would have jumped right after you."

"Granger, I don't understand." His head was feeling dizzy. The spell that Lucius threw at him must have really racked his brain. "Why…?" His question was stuck in his dry throat when he felt her cool, gentle fingers running down the side of his face.

"Please, Malfoy." Hermione's voice croaked. "I am sure you have a lot of questions, but I beg you to leave them all until I got you to safety."

She wanted to get _him_ to safety.

"What…?" He began once more but stopped when her fingers covered his lips.

"Later," she promised. "I will explain everything later."

And explain she did. At the beginning of the summer, Hermione found out that she was not a muggle after all. Both of her parents as well as her grandparents were squibs. Her great-grandmother was a different story all together. Jennifer Rose Granger was one-hundred percent witch and twenty-five percent veela. It took three generations for the powers to manifest in another kin.

"And that is why I had to save you instead of Ron." Hermione explained. "I think it was the essence of your blood that triggered me to go to you at the battle field, and when I heard your voice and held your hand over that cliff, it was as though something had shifted within me. I cannot explain it. All I know is your safety is my number one priority." Exhaling another deep breath, Hermione continued. "Ronald and Harry both knew that being a veela meant that I have a mate out there somewhere. I never thought it would be you though." She said the last part sadly.

"Does this mean that you and I have to be together for the rest of our lives?" Draco asked uncertain even though he knew about all the properties of the veela.

"You don't have to be tied to my hip, if that is what you mean, Malfoy." Hermione said. "All you have to do is take care of yourself."

"That's it? All I have to do is take care of myself?"

"If you are healthy and happy than so am I." Hermione explained.

"So you don't need to mark me to make me as yours?" Wasn't this what a veela must do to survive?

"I am only fifteen percent veela, Malfoy. It is not necessary for you to be at such disposition. I would never force you to do something you did not want to do. All I would need of you is your essence. A shirt…your robes, anything that comes in contact with your body would suffice."

"How noble of you!" Draco finally let his sarcasm roll over his tongue before chuckling at the irony. "If it was I who was the veela and you were the mate, I assure you, Granger that I would have done anything in my power to make you mine."

"And that is one of the many reasons why you were sorted into Slytherin and I into Gryffindor."

*****

Draco's thoughts were scattered as he felt Hermione's body turn restlessly in the darkness. Even though he was right next to her, holding her, Draco knew it would not be enough tonight. Tonight was a six-month anniversary of the Final Battle. Tonight was a six-month anniversary since Ron's death. Tonight was the six-month anniversary of _the most difficult choice _she had to make; who would you save - your best friend for over half of a decade or an enemy for the same number of years. Tonight was a six-month anniversary since Hermione chose to save him instead of Ron and the day he found out that he was a mate to a veela. And although Hermione had not made any real demands of him, Draco liked to think that he belonged to the said veela, because after losing the only family he ever known, he liked the feeling of belonging.

"Hermione," he said, gently stroking her damp cheek. He was familiar with her body well enough to know when she was pretending to be asleep for his benefit.

"How were the services?" Hermione asked. The services for the fallen of the war were held on the same day of each month. Hermione still could make herself attend them. She was not ready to let go, or face the others yet.

"Sad as usual," he stated the obvious.

"And the Weasleys?" Draco shook his head. Ron's family still had not forgiven him for surviving or her for not being able to save their Ronald. "I saw him again, you know."

"I know," sighed Draco in response. How could she not?

"I miss him so much!" She cried.

"I know."

"Gods, it hurts so much." The damp broke.

"I know, love. I know." Draco himself sounded glum.

"Oh, Draco," Hermione stroked his own cheek. "I am sorry for dragging you into this depression with me."

Shaking his head in disagreement, Draco spoke. "Don't say that, Hermione. You know that I will always be here for you. No matter what, I will stay by your side."

"I still cannot believe that you are here with me." She sighed and felt a bit more content. "Even though I told you that I could survive just by having you touch my hand in reassurance every now and then, you still chose to stay with me."

"And I told you that that wouldn't be enough for me. I wanted you exclusively and all to myself."

"You know I can have no other." She said sadly.

"And I am glad for that because I am a very jealous and possessive toward anything or anyone that belongs to me." He said matter of fact.

"It's you who belongs to me, silly."

"Not until you mark me, love." He said, kissing her forehead.

"You know that I could never take the option of free will from you. We are only eighteen, Draco, and you have a long life ahead of you to choose for whoever you wish." She said, sounding upset yet again. "I will always be happy with whatever you give me as long as you are happy."

"I will take care of you, Hermione; for as long as I live, you are my number one priority." Draco trailed gentle kisses over her shimmering eyes and her small button-nose and her damp cheeks and finally her parted plump lips. "You are my life now, just as I am yours, and I will fulfill the oath I gave to Ron until my dying breath."

"Gods, I love you, Draco." Hermione hugged him tightly.

"And I love you." He honestly declared back.

"Show me, love me." She pleaded. "Please, just love me now."

And he did.

"I want you so much right now," Draco whispered against her delicate jawbone.

"Not as much as I want you…need you," Hermione whispered in return.

Draco cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, then traced her lips with the tip of his tongue. Her mouth opened instinctively and he dipped inside, teasing, tasting, tempting.

Fire coiled in the pit of her stomach, then spread outward and grew until she thought her insides would explode. His hands slid to her waist, then curved at her hips, drawing their lower bodies closer.

Draco then slid his arm under her tank top until his thumb brushed over the nipple of her right breast. Hermione felt as though she was touched by lightening which traveled to a place between her thighs. Her breasts ached for more as liquid heat pooled and settled between her thighs fueling the frantic need inside.

"Oh, Draco," she whispered hoarsely.

Draco rose, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and jerked it up and over his head, revealing the taut wedge of naked flesh and muscle just above the waistband of his trousers. Her palms itched to touch the contours of his chest and she lifted a hand without thinking.

When she hesitated, Draco smiled a self-satisfied look that made her already pounding heart even more erratic. He gently took her wrist and settled her fingers on him, over his own hammering heart. While she explored his body, he ripped her flimsy tank to down the middle, exposing her creamy flesh to his own hungry stare. He pulled her into his arms and they were skin to skin from waist up. Hermione's bare breasts pressed into his chest, creating one of her favorite sensations when she was together with him.

Draco threaded his fingers in her hair and cupped the back of her head to hold her still for his kiss. As he thoroughly explored her mouth, the sound of his harsh breathing filled her.

With an effort, he pulled back away and said, "I don't think I can wait anymore, Hermione…"

"Then don't, Draco." That is all he needed to hear. Draco reached and slid her pajama bottoms down her legs.

No matter how many times he has sees her body, the same sentence always slipped through his lips, "You are so beautiful."

"Draco…"

In the next instant, he stood up and dropped his own pants, exposing a very impressive erection.

"Oh, Merlin," Hermione felt her mouth water and her juices increase their flow just at the sight of him. "Just fill me, Draco. I want to feel you in me."

Silky threads of pleasure snapped inside her when he cupped her breast in his hand. He lowered his head and took her nipple in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue until the tension inside her grew and her hips moved restlessly.

"Draco, please," Hermione begged. "I need you. Now!"

"Yes," he breathed. "Now…" He shifted onto her, letting his forearms keep his weight from crushing her. "Wrap your legs around me," he urged.

She did as he asked and his hardness pushed against her. They both groaned when Draco achieve full penetration. He began his rhythm slow at first, patiently waiting for the crescendo of her first orgasm to pass.

Hermione had always been able to cum without any stimulus. The moment Draco was inside Hermione could not control the orgasms that followed scant seconds within each other. Whether or not it was the veela genes that allowed her to be so responsive or the witch herself, Draco did not care. The only thing he cared about was keeping Hermione satisfied.

Draco's eyes rolled to the back of his head as Hermione's velvet walls closed around his manhood for the fifth time in a row. The sensation was heavenly.

"You are burning me up, witch." Draco said hoarsely, increasing his tempo a notch. "Please, Hermione. Seal our bond," Draco begged, sweat dripping down the middle of his back. "Mark me!"

Hearing his request, Hermione could not help but come apart once again in his arms.

"Please," he growled before speeding his movements. "You and I belong together. All you have to do is make it permanent."

"Draco…"

"Do it, Hermione." Draco snarled at her. "Now!"

And by all that was holy, she did what he had asked her to do…what she herself wanted to do from the moment she had realized that Draco Malfoy was her mate.

Hermione raised her head and sunk her teeth into the muscle of his shoulder, forcing her own essence into his bloodstream.

"Ugh!" Draco gasped. He closed his eye in pleasure, seeing millions of stars burst behind his eyelids and with the last pump of his manhood; he poured his release into her over heated body.

Minutes passed but Draco was still in a state of shock.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked weakly.

"I am not quite so sure," he answered as he pulled out of her. "I think I need another go at this activity before I can give you a rational answer."

"Draco…"

He stopped her protest with another heated kiss and made sweet love to her until the first rays of morning light filtered through their window and all the days that fallowed after…

*****

Draco and Hermione got married right out of Hogwats. They moved into the Malfoy Manor. Draco, being the only successor of the Malfoy family after his father's death, inherited all the properties that came with the title. The couple attended different universities: Hermione in the medical field and Draco in the business field. They had the same schedule so when their classes were over, they just aparated home to find comfort in each other's arms.

They had three children, two sons and a daughter.

Scorpio, the oldest, was a spitting image of Draco. Slytherin.

Ronald, second, was a spitting image of Hermione. Gryffindor.

Dramione, their baby girl, was a spitting image of both Draco and Hermione. Ravenclaw.

After more than a century together, Draco and Hermione died in a peaceful sleep, wrapped in each other's embrace, leaving very successful three children, nine grandchildren, and twenty-seven great grandchildren behind and creating one of the most talked about legacies of love and family the wizarding world would ever see or hear for centuries to come.

On the other side, Ronald Weasley no doubt welcomed the Ferret and his 'Monie to the afterlife.

**THE END**

**A/N: **Please let me know what you thought of this veela twist. Did you like or hate it. PLEASE REVIEW!


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